The "Pro-Palestinians"

Once again, it has been exposed that Americans and Europeans who claim to be pro-Palestinian are actually just Israel-haters. For them, the Palestinian issue is just a vehicle for vomiting their hatred for Israel, and most likely all Jews. They are closer to Hamas and Islamic Jihad than to moderate Arabs and Muslims. The Palestinians need support from people who promote democracy, moderation, accountability and co-existence with Israel.

Some 100 "pro-Palestinian" activists from different countries arrived in Jordan during the past few days on another anti-Israel mission.

The activists did not come to Jordan to:

Visit or help thousands of Syrian and Palestinian refugees who are being held in miserable conditions along the Jordan-Syria border.

Hear information about the daily massacres in neighboring Syria. Had they wanted, the "pro-Palestinians" could have interviewed dozens of Syrians and Palestinians who fled the violence and bloodshed in Syria and heard horrific stories about how both the Syrian army and the "revolutionaries" have been slaughtering innocent civilians, including women and children.

Protest against the kingdom's official policy of discrimination against Palestinians -- an issue that has drawn sharp condemnations not only from Palestinians, but also from some Jordanians.

Demonstrate against the government's recent decision to impose severe restrictions on media outlets.

Hear about the harsh conditions of Palestinians living in a number of refugee camps in Jordan.

Protest against the Jordanian government's decision to revoke the Jordanian citizenship of tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Hear how thousands of Palestinians have been expelled from Iraq and other Arab countries in recent years.

Promote the rights of women under Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Protest against the Palestinian Authority's crackdown on journalists and bloggers.

They did not come to Jordan because they were planning to visit Lebanon and see for themselves how Palestinians are subjected to apartheid regulations that prevent them from working in many professions.

Instead, the activists spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a mission whose only purpose is to provoke Israel, and not help Palestinians.

The activists came as part of the Welcome to Palestine Campaign to demand the "right of return" for millions of Palestinians to their former villages and cities inside Israel.

They came to Jordan knowing that Israel would not allow them to cross the Allenby Bridge into the West Bank. Yet, they chose to go ahead with their trip so that they could later accuse Israel of banning them from expressing solidarity with the Palestinians.

Organizers of this anti-Israel campaign say they were only hoping to donate school stationery to Palestinian children. But who ever said that Palestinian children in the West Bank are lacking in schoolbags and pencils? Even the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA have not complained of any shortage.

Once again, it has been exposed that Americans and Europeans who claim to be pro-Palestinian are actually just Israel-haters. These activists seem to have a problem only with Israel. For them, the Palestinian issue is just a vehicle for vomiting their hatred toward Israel, and most likely all Jews. They are your grandmother's recycled anti-Semites.

For most of these international activists, Palestinian leaders such as Mahmoud Abbas and Salam Fayyad are "traitors" because they say they believe in the two-state solution and conduct security cooperation with Israel.

These activists are on the side of the radicals in the Palestinian camp. They are closer to Hamas and Islamic Jihad than to moderate Arabs and Muslims. The Palestinians do not want support from Westerners who pretend to be more Palestinian than the Palestinians.

The Palestinians need support from people who promote democracy, moderation, accountability and coexistence with Israel. It is time that the "pro-Palestinian" activists leave the Palestinians alone and search for another cause to advance their messages of hate and violence.

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8 Reader Comments

Jay Aaronsmith • Aug 31, 2012 at 22:00

Sadly, I think, yes, this man is correct. And between the international media and these people who provoke, things are worse (or kept more heated) in the West Bank, Gaza, and Israel than they need be. I accuse these 'righteous liberals,' these self-proclaimed defenders of the underdog Palestinian people of simply trying to put the heat on Israel, and inhibiting any move towards a reasonable reconciliation of the Arabs of Palestine with the Jews of old Palestine, now Israel. I cannot figure out why there is this chronic anti-Semitism, but I am convinced it exists, and that being 'against the government of Israel' is more acceptable than admitting you hate Jews.

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Avram • Aug 29, 2012 at 05:37

Aside from being a master class in whatabouttery, there are basic errors.

Firstly, whilst Palestinien refugees are undoubtedly mistreated by their Arab "brothers," the primary factor resulting in their misery is of course the Zionist conquest and the ongoing denial of their legal rights vis a vis returning to their homes.

Secondly, Abbas isn't a traitor because he supports a two-state solution - he is a collaborator for precisely the reason that he collaborates with the occupation. He is the Bantustan chief.

Thirdly, matters such as "women's rights" in Gaza are predominantly a matter for Palestinains to sort out.

The primary issue is the brutal subjugation of an entire people by a settler colonialist state. After the US-Israeli rejection of a peaceful settlement is overcome, we can re-assess the motives of the pro-Palestinian camp.

But your article misses the point entirely that Israel is the last unresolved legacy of European colonialism. Your attempt to divert people from that is noted for the record.

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Ruvy Kossover Avram • Aug 30, 2012 at 08:25

It is the ultimate irony that the author of this fine article explains clearly the desires of the non-Jews of Judea and Samaria, while this fellow posting with the Jewish name rants and raves about a "brutal" colonialist policy. As someone who lives in Samaria, I'd be happy to sit down at a table with the author, and try to resolve the problems faced by Jews and non-Jews here. This other fellow? He can just "f-f-fade away."

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Batya Casper, Israelathebook.com • Aug 28, 2012 at 22:29

Dear Mr. Jarallah,

Thank you so much for this article. It needs to be read by people of all sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as of the broader, never-ending, onerous conflict in the Middle East. The Palestinian people need friends. Self-seeking fundamentalist idealogues will never fill that role. Palestinians need to move of their own volition away from fruitless jealousy and hatred toward hope, the good life, a peaceful future for their children, and general wellbeing. This is not a dream. It can happen. Allow Israel to exist, and let Palestine be built and thrive alongside it, in peace.

Batya Casper

The Human Face of Conflict

www.Israelathebook.com

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Nico Black • Aug 28, 2012 at 10:51

Thank you for your thoughtful observation regarding the "Pro Palestinians."

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Mike • Aug 28, 2012 at 10:44

Wow. You've proven it. 100 activists represent everything there is to know about people who believe that Palestinians are people and have rights. They went with a singular purpose, so yeah, of course they didn't go with all the other purposes you listed.

I recently went to a gay pride parade. I did not go there to protest Russia's crackdown on freedom of speech. Does that make me anti-freedom of speech or even anti-the people of Russia?

Then I went to a rally specifically in support of Pussy Riot. I did not go there to support gay marriage. Does that make me anti-gay marriage or anti-gay?

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Jill • Aug 28, 2012 at 07:29

I have been diligently trying to explain/expose the ulterior motives of those who are partaking in yet another flotilla debacle. I have friends who believe these excursions are somehow compassion-motivated, and though I've tried my best, this article delivers everything I've been trying to say. Perhaps it is more commanding and believable coming from the voice of a West Bank journalist. I thank you for you writing it.

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Sylvie Schapira • Aug 28, 2012 at 05:27

I am really thankful to see this article by Hisham Jarallah. At last there are people who feel strongly enough to take a stand and speak up - I too feel that the tragedy of the Palestinians is the 'support' that they get from the Leftists, Islamists and anyone who hates Israel. This obsession with hating Israel overrides any rational thinking or constructive help for the Palestinians. The Palestinians are the pawns. They are encouraged to hate and kill Jews as the all encompassing strategy of gaining a state and their pride in themselves. But this is fantasy. The real solution is for them to see what the world is using them for, and then perhaps they would make peace with Israel and get on and build a state of their own.

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